


Putting It Together

by Strawberry_Champagne



Category: Tales of Vesperia
Genre: Fluff, Kid Fic, M/M, Original Character(s)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-03
Updated: 2014-09-03
Packaged: 2018-02-16 01:42:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,187
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2251233
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Strawberry_Champagne/pseuds/Strawberry_Champagne
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>An afternoon of babysitting doesn't go quite the way that Flynn expected.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Putting It Together

The first time it happened, they were buying her ice cream.

“Oh, she’s just too precious,” said the woman in line behind them, bending down to the little girl’s level.

“Thank you,” said Flynn, though he wasn't sure why. He and Yuri were just watching Reya for the afternoon, as a favor to some neighbors in the Lower Quarter. Well, Yuri would argue it wasn't entirely a favor, since they were getting paid. Flynn would have done it either way, but it didn't hurt that the couple had offered a small sum that would go toward the teens’ “buy a sword that won’t break on the first decent hit” fund.

The woman smiled at the three-year-old, who blinked up at her with a finger in her mouth.

“She’s going to be a real heartbreaker.” She winked, and Flynn frowned. Wait. Surely she didn't think...

Reya squealed with delight when she was given the tiny vanilla cone, quickly becoming absorbed in it as they walked down the street. Yuri kept her other hand grasped in his so she didn't wander away from them. They didn't have much means of entertaining a toddler back at the inn, so they were taking her to play in a park in the Public Quarter.

When they reached the playground meant for younger children, Reya immediately raced over to the brightly colored slide, light brown pigtails bouncing. Flynn smiled as he watched Yuri encouraging her at the bottom of the slide. Since his friend seemed to have things well in hand for the moment, he sat on a nearby bench.

“Aww.”

Flynn turned at the sound—a girl about his age had walked up behind him. Her gaze focused on Yuri as he stopped Reya’s slippery descent, lifting her from the end of the slide and setting her feet on the sand.

“How old is she?” the girl asked, moving around the bench to sit beside him.

“Um, she just turned three.”

“He’s really good with her,” she said, nodding toward Yuri.

“Oh. Yes, I guess so.”

The girl laughed. It made Flynn start wondering again. Should he make sure she wasn't misunderstanding the situation? Or would that just be more embarrassing, especially if he was wrong? They chatted for a while, idle conversation between strangers. Finally, the girl stood, telling Flynn that it had been nice to meet him.

“Well, she’s adorable. You must be very proud.” And she walked away before he could say anything.

When Yuri came back, Flynn was covering his face with his hands.

“But why would they even assume that?” he muttered under his breath. “Do we really look old enough?”

“Who’s assuming what?” said Yuri, shifting a tired-looking Reya in his arms. Flynn lowered his hands.

“Nothing. It’s nothing.”

He started noticing the looks they were getting from people who passed them on the street. It was far from everyone, but often enough that he wondered if Yuri was really so clueless that he was completely missing it. Probably, he thought with a sigh. It wasn't that he minded people assuming that they were together, but he did wonder why they defaulted to that rather than thinking she was a younger sister, or even the truth of them watching her for someone else.

They were almost back to the inn when it happened. A man and a woman—a couple, by the way they walked arm in arm—stopped to coo over Reya, who nuzzled sleepily into Yuri’s shoulder.

“What a beautiful little girl. What’s her name?”

“Reya,” said Yuri. The woman smiled.

“A lovely name. You have good taste.”

Yuri quirked a brow, and Flynn groaned inwardly. There was no avoiding it, now.

“Uh, I didn't name her.”

She nodded. “So was she already named that when you adopted her?”

“Huh?”

“Isn't she—oh, I’m sorry! I thought she was yours. I’m so embarrassed.” The woman covered her mouth, and the man laughed a little.

“No, uh...it’s okay. Don’t worry about it,” said Yuri. The couple retreated after that, leaving the three of them alone on the street that led to the inn.

“Well, that was interesting.” Yuri smirked, looking over at Flynn.

“It has been happening all afternoon,” he said softly. “Haven’t you noticed?”

Yuri shrugged, at least as much as he could with Reya now fully asleep in his arms. “Nope.”

With the sun beginning to set, they climbed the stairs up to the room. Once inside, Yuri set the girl gently on his bed, drawing a blanket up around her small shoulders. She sighed in her sleep, squirming a little, and Flynn could see why she drew so much attention while they were out. 

“So I guess half the city thinks we have a kid together now.”

Flynn whipped his head around at the bluntly spoken statement, mentally cursing the flush he knew would be rising in his cheeks. Yuri, though, was grinning—his “I am far too amused by this” grin that seemed to come out when Flynn had the potential to be the most uncomfortable.

“Yuri,” he began, but his friend’s arm draped across his shoulders and the admonishment died on his lips.

“Hm? What is it, sweetie?” Yuri deadpanned, but his face crumpled into laughter after only a few seconds—a little too loud.

“Reya,” Flynn reminded him, and his friend sobered, though his eyes still danced with barely contained mirth. The toddler made a soft sound of wakefulness, her long-lashed blue eyes half open.

“Fwynn?” she said sleepily, and the blond’s heart melted. He sat on the edge of the bed, patting her shoulders and shushing her back to sleep. As Reya’s eyes drifted shut again, Flynn felt Yuri settle beside him. 

“She really is a cute kid,” he said, after a moment. 

“Mm.”

A soft kiss landed on Flynn’s cheek, jolting through him like lightning. Having completely forgotten how to breathe in that instant, his eyes flickered over to Yuri, who had pulled back and didn't look much like someone who had done something so spontaneous and unexpected.

“I guess I wanted to see how it felt,” he said, and Flynn wasn't sure he was capable of speech right then, either. A smile crept across Yuri’s face, probably at something in Flynn’s expression. “Everyone’s thinking it anyway, right?”

As Flynn leaned forward, he found Yuri there to meet him. Their noses bumped, which almost set Yuri to laughing again, but Flynn quieted him by sealing their lips together. It was brief, a little hesitant, but the feeling of warmth lingered. Yuri tilted his head, their faces still very close.

“Yeah,” he said softly, and that was all. Just when Flynn thought he had this whole breathing thing down again, his friend returned the kiss with an intensity and eagerness that made the still-coherent part of his brain wonder if he should remind him that there was a three-year-old in the room, albeit a sleeping one. As the room slowly darkened and their confidence grew, Flynn realized with amusement that all those people hadn't been entirely wrong about them, after all. They were just a little early.

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted on LJ writing journal, October 5, 2009.


End file.
